# Quote — Michelle Cliff, Abeng

> The island rose and sank. Twice. During periods in which history was recorded by indentations on rock and shell.
>
> This is a book about the time which followed on that time. As the island became a place where people lived. Indians. Africans. Europeans. (beginning of Chapter One)

- Author: [Michelle Cliff](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michelle-cliff.md)
- Book: [Abeng](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michelle-cliff/abeng.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Michelle_Cliff#Abeng_(1984)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/michelle-cliff/abeng/the-island-rose

## More from this book

> [He] was caught somewhere between the future and the past-both equal in his imagination. (Chapter Four)

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michelle-cliff/abeng/he-was-caught.md)

> In the beginning there had been two sisters-Nanny and Sekesu. Nanny fled slavery. Sekesu remained a slave. Some said this was the difference between the sisters.
>
> It was believed that all island children were descended from one or the other. All island people were first cousins.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michelle-cliff/abeng/in-the-beginning.md)